– **Drew Gooden** (Milwaukee Bucks) scored 13 points with six rebounds on Monday as the Milwaukee Bucks lost to the Atlanta Hawks, 97-92. Gooden made just 4 of 10 shots but added a timely three, two assists and a block in 23 minutes ([full stats here][1]). He played the entire fourth quarter of the game in place of starting center Andrew Bogut, which — unsurprisingly — [frustrated some Bucks fans on Twitter][2].
After the game, [BrewHoop.com’s Alex Boeder wrote about Gooden’s performance][3]:
>Drew Gooden. A wild 22 minutes. It seemed like he was on the court the entire game, for better or worse. Sometimes he was a part of good things (successful no-look passes, [contorting and-ones][4], clutch three-pointers, etc.), sometimes he was a part of bad things (missed all four of his mid-range jumpers, lost his man on defense a couple times, etc.), always he was always a part of Gooden things.
Monday’s “Gooden things” were [best summed up by another BrewHoop writer, Frank Madden, who tweeted][5]:
>”Drew Gooden thrives on chaos. Much of it his own creation.”
—
Monday summary
————–
– **Paul Pierce** (Boston Celtics) got another chance to carry the load on Monday night as five Celtics players (including two starters) sat out. Pierce scored 19 points in 33 minutes and Boston ripped apart the Orlando Magic, 87-56. Pierce’s efficiency (just 6 for 14 from the field) was down from his monster 34-point night on Sunday (10 for 15), but he was facing better defenders and he still led the Celtics in assists, with seven. Pierce also grabbed five rebounds ([full stats here][6]).
– **Markieff Morris** (Phoenix Suns) had his best game of his three starts for the Suns, but Phoenix lost to the Dallas Mavericks, 93-87, on Monday. He couldn’t get going offensively, scoring seven points on 2 for 9 shooting (including a meaningless three with five seconds left in the then-nine-point game). Still, Markieff cleaned up on the glass, pulling down a career-high 11 total rebounds, four of which were on the offensive end. He added an assist and a steal and committed five fouls while playing 29 minutes to former starter Channing Frye’s 15 ([full stats here][7]).
After the game, [Markieff tweeted][8]:
>Mirror check for myself tonight who I have been is not what I can be gotta get back to my old ways grimy hard nose Philly kid… Real rap
[And][9]:
>To many jump shots not getting fouled enough playing soft gotta turn it up starting tomorrow…. #teamfoe we back…..
– **Nick Collison** (Oklahoma City Thunder) sprained his ankle in the second quarter on Monday against the Detroit Pistons and did not re-enter the game. He put up just two points, a rebound and a block in nine minutes ([full stats here][10]). After the game, [Collison told the media that the injury wasn’t serious][11] and that he could be ready to play when the Thunder return to the court on Wednesday.
– **Cole Aldrich** (Oklahoma City Thunder) finally saw some action as the Thunder built an 86-62 lead over the Detroit Pistons mid-way through the fourth quarter on Monday. Aldrich made the most of his nine minutes and had four points, six rebounds, two steals and a block against the Pistons reserves ([full stats here][12]).
And for those of you asking when Cole’s role might expand, well … you’re not alone. The Oklahoman’s Thunder beat writer, Darnell Mayberry, is wondering, too. [After the game, he wrote][13]:
> I’m ready for Cole Aldrich to play. Nothing against Nazr Mohammed (OK, maybe a little something), but Aldrich looks ready for a larger role. I mean, how much better is he really going to get in practice. My gut says the backup center job belongs to Aldrich next season when Naz’s contract expires. But if I’m Brooks, why wait? Mohammed hasn’t been as consistent this year, and Aldrich seems to have an impact rebounding and on defense every time he gets minutes. I’d make the move.
– **Brandon Rush** (Golden State Warriors) scored 10 points on Monday for the Warriors, who coughed up a 20 point lead en route to a 91-90 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. Rush played 25 minutes and hit 4 of 6 shots (2 of 3 three-pointers) with four rebounds and an assist ([full stats here][14]).
– **Josh Selby** (Memphis Grizzlies) played just six scoreless minutes on Monday, getting off one shot, which was blocked. The Grizzlies still won though, 91-90, against the Warriors on the road in Oakland ([full stats here][15]).
– **Xavier Henry** (New Orleans Hornets) did not play on Monday night against the San Antonio Spurs, [despite coach Monty Williams saying before the game that Henry might make his season debut][16]. The Spurs and Hornets played a tight game (San Antonio won, 104-102), and [Williams decided not to throw a new player, fresh off of injury, into that situation][17]. The good news for Henry is that he’s [back in uniform][18], and he could see some extended playing time over the next few weeks [as starting shooting guard Eric Gordon deals with an injury of his own][19].
—
Other notes
———–
– **Keith Langford** (Israeli Premier League – Maccabi Electra) put up 11 points on 4 of 8 shooting on Monday in an 85-70 regular season Israeli League game. He added four assists, a rebound and two steals in 27 minutes ([full stats here][20]). Langford and Maccabi will play their second Euroleague Top 16 tournament game on Thursday.
– [The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Monday][21] that **Kirk Hinrich** (Atlanta Hawks) might return to Hawks’ lineup on Wednesday. Atlanta coach Larry Drew told reporters that Hinrich won’t start (“as of right now”). Instead, he will be eased back into the rotation with the intention that he’ll eventually play “substantial minutes” for the team.
– **Marcus Morris** (Houston Rockets/Rio Grande Valley Vipers) and **Julian Wright** (free agent, formerly Toronto Raptors) took in the Kansas-Texas A&M game at Allen Fieldhouse on Monday. Marcus is recovering from an ankle sprain ([more on that in the last blog post][22]) and [Wright told the Journal-World’s Gary Bedore that he still hopes to make an NBA roster][23]:
>”I’m staying in shape,” Wright said. “There’s still a lot of season left. I’m not discouraged or anything. I’m here tonight to cheer the guys on.”
—
Jayhawks in upcoming NBA games
——————————
**[Tuesday, Jan. 24][24]**
– 6:30 p.m., NBATV, **Mario Chalmers** and the Miami Heat vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers
– 8 p.m., **Markieff Morris** and the Phoenix Suns vs. the Toronto Raptors
– 9 p.m., NBATV, **Josh Selby** and the Memphis Grizzlies vs. the Portland Trailblazers
[1]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120123/ATLMIL/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100245#nbaGIboxscore
[2]: http://twitter.com/#!/brewhoop/status/161643064765591552
[3]: http://www.brewhoop.com/2012/1/24/2726520/hawks-bucks-brandon-jennings-andrew-bogut-josh-smith-joe-johnson
[4]: http://www.nba.com/video/games/bucks/2012/01/23/0021100245_atl_mil_play2.nba
[5]: http://twitter.com/#!/brewhoop/status/161622917900279808
[6]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120123/ORLBOS/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100243#nbaGIboxscore
[7]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120123/PHXDAL/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100249#nbaGIboxscore
[8]: http://twitter.com/#!/Keefmorris/status/161714327269814274
[9]: http://twitter.com/#!/Keefmorris/status/161715150808809472
[10]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120123/DETOKC/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100247#nbaGIboxscore
[11]: http://twitter.com/#!/dailythunder/status/161660380312113152
[12]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120123/DETOKC/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100247#nbaGIboxscore
[13]: http://blog.newsok.com/thunderrumblings/2012/01/23/thunder-99-pistons-79/
[14]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120123/MEMGSW/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100251#nbaGIboxscore
[15]: http://www.nba.com/games/20120123/MEMGSW/gameinfo.html?ls=gt2hp0021100251#nbaGIboxscore
[16]: http://twitter.com/#!/hortonhomers/status/161487869196763137
[17]: http://www.nola.com/hornets/index.ssf/2012/01/shooting_guard_eric_gordon_mis.html
[18]: http://twitter.com/#!/hortonhomers/status/161609951586951168
[19]: http://twitter.com/#!/Rohan_Cruyff/status/161655352914477056
[20]: http://www.eurobasket.com/boxScores/Israel/2012/0123_1630_159.asp
[21]: http://blogs.ajc.com/hawks/2012/01/23/atlanta-hawks-teague-still-the-starter-once-hinrich-returns/?cxntfid=blogs_hawks
[22]: http://www2.kusports.com/weblogs/hawks_nba/2012/jan/23/paul-pierce-dominates-with-near-triple-d/
[23]: http://www2.kusports.com/news/2012/jan/24/gary-bedores-ku-basketball-notebook-tommy-lasorda-/
[24]: http://www.nba.com/gameline/20120124/
